As far as I'm concerned, one television series ("Spaced") and two films (Shaun of the Dead, Hot Fuzz) were enough to establish England's Edgar Wright as one of the best directors working today. It was entirely due to his involvement that I looked forward to Scott Pilgrim vs. the World, his American debut and first major project without writer/stars Simon Pegg and Nick Frost.

Scott Pilgrim is based on a fairly popular graphic novel series introduced in 2004 by Bryan Lee O'Malley, but I can't pretend that the source material or its vocal fanbase meant anything to me.

Scott Pilgrim (Michael Cera) is a 22-year-old Toronto resident who plays bass guitar in the unaccomplished rock band Sex Bob-Omb. When the film opens, Scott is in a relationship with 17-year-old Chinese American high school student Knives Chau (Ellen Wong). There is nothing to report on the innocent coupling, but it's significant because it marks Scott's first action with the opposite sex in the year since his still painful dumping by Natalie (Brie Larson), a young woman who's now known as successful lead singer Envy Adams. While content with his current chaste romance, Scott can't help but be struck by the sight of Ramona Flowers (Mary Elizabeth Winstead), a magenta-haired American who is new in town.

Somehow, placing an order from Amazon.ca earns a personal delivery by Ramona, during which Scott is improbably able to secure a date with her. They click fairly well over tea and blanket talk, well enough for Ramona to show up at Sex Bob-Omb's performance in an important Battle of the Bands. Though the book hasn't exactly been closed on Knives, Scott's new relationship with Ramona approaches boyfriend and girlfriend status. That's when things get interesting. To be with Ramona, Scott learns he has to battle and defeat each of her seven evil exes. As Scott's younger sister (Up in the Air Oscar nominee Anna Kendrick) asks, "What?!"

While it was obviously well-established in the marketing campaign and even more so on the DVD and Blu-ray cover, the having to fight and conquer ex-boyfriends plot feels more than a little bizarre and random. The movie knows this, of course, and treats it comedically as the source comics must have, but it's not without consequence, meaning or sincerity. Though the nature of the fights varies, each appears to be inspired by video games of yore, things like Virtua Fighter and Mortal Kombat. Defeating an opponent tends to disintegrate them and bring about falling coins in their place, a familiar end to many a game level.

This is not the only flair Scott Pilgrim displays. Most of the movie pays homage to some form of media, whether it's the comic book-style RRRIIIINNNGGs that emerge from ringing telephones or the scene at Scott's apartment that uses a laugh track and establishing music from "Seinfeld." At a time when there's hardly a major motion picture that can't be cited as derivative, this is a breath of fresh air, channeling cultural hallmarks into a unique, quirky experience. No one is as well-suited to such a task as Wright, whose previous films offered hilarious, affectionate, pitch-perfect parodies on zombie and cop movies. Scott Pilgrim excels at relaying its information in sharp, exciting, and witty ways, from succinct introductory captions to subtle blink-and-miss gags.

Like Wright's prior comedies, this one is not just fun and games. There is a genuine sense of character, conflict, and growth. The first half-hour does an extraordinary job of conveying the young adult experience: the rhythms, the locations, the sharp wit, fast talking, irony, sarcasm, and insecurity. The content is shockingly authentic and no fancy of the presentation renders it anything but.

Early on, I was reminded of Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind and even as Scott Pilgrim took a drastically different tone, it never shook the analogy. Obviously, there are the snowy nighttime settings and girl with blue hair (Ramona changes from one vibrant hue to another every 1½ weeks). More substantially, the movies share a funny, offbeat, and intellectually stimulating examination of the nature of romantic relationships and the joy and pain they bring. Challenging though it was, Charlie Kaufman and Michel Gondry's Academy Award-winning film was not hard to appreciate on that level. While it deals with similar themes, Scott Pilgrim may prove more difficult for viewers, particularly those whose adolescences predate video games, to warm to and value. One moment, the heartache and baggage is laid bare, and the next there is a psychic vegan pounding on our protagonist.

Personally, I'm not completely at ease with the heart of the plot that explains the confrontational title. It is quite fun and allows Wright to imaginatively provide exciting fight scenes with rare weight and meaning. But it's also really silly and not entirely at peace with the rest of the film. I'm not even sure how we are intended to consider the diverting battles.

I mean clearly they're not really occurring as depicted, right? But are they indeed happening on some level? I'm not sure the film or O'Malley even knows the answer to that. In fairness, taking away the ambiguity would have also lessened the sheer entertainment value. Explaining the high-energy action respites would dampen their whimsy, underestimate viewer intelligence, and overintellectualize the proceedings. It doesn't have to all make sense to engage and delight.

At the same time, the film runs the risk of ostracizing its audience. Those charmed by the romantic plot might not appreciate turning their brains off for mano-a-mano bits. Likewise, action junkies might not care for enduring talkative, eccentric, emotional stretches in between every burst of fantastic butt-kicking. Somehow, though, Scott Pilgrim achieves its balancing act about as smoothly as you can hope for, remaining funny, appealing, and smart all the way through its inevitable climax.

Much of the movie is hilarious and for all the assistance that sharp editing and visual tact provide, a large reason for the success is the excellent cast. Three years into Michael Cera's film career, it seems apparent that the sweet, dorky guy will be his specialty. I don't have a problem with that. He showed some range in this year's Youth in Revolt, but for all the value placed on acting variety, who but him could play the title part as winningly? Mary Elizabeth Winstead is great as the dream girl of his affections, inviting comparisons to Kate Winslet's Eternal Sunshine character though without the Academy Award prospects that a higher-profile reputation must precede.

Scott Pilgrim's friends add hearty amounts of charisma, including his band's goal-oriented lead singer Stephen Stills (Mark Webber), pissy jilted drummer Kim (Alison Pill), and easygoing tagalong Young Neil (Johnny Simmons). As played by Kieran Culkin, wisecracking bed-sharing gay roommate Wallace is sure to be a viewer favorite. As Knives, Ellen Wong deserves special notice for smoothly taking what first seems like a punchline and turning it into a conceivable One. Then there are the seven exes, which include overdramatic Matthew Patel (Satya Bhabha), butch lesbian Roxy Richter (Mae Whitman, reuniting with her "Arrested Development" boyfriend), douchy vegan bassist Todd Ingram (Superman Returns' Brandon Routh, given blonde hair that helps distinguish him from...), final challenge Gideon "G-Man" Graves (a perfectly dislikable Jason Schwartzman), and egotistical movie star Lucas Lee (Fantastic Four's Chris Evans, evidently and delectably sending up a fellow Marvel Comics lead, Nicolas Cage's Ghost Rider). We don't see very much of Japanese twins the Katayanagis (Keita Saitou and Shota Saito), but other than them, this large cast makes large impressions in limited opportunity, creating a rich world that is big on personality.

Despite much hype, glowing reviews, and a substantial marketing campaign, Scott Pilgrim vs. the World flopped at the box office, like the majority of Universal Pictures' output in the past few years. Its $31.5 million domestic gross was barely half of the movie's moderate $60 M production budget. Though the earnings made it Wright's biggest American earner to date (eclipsing Hot Fuzz, which was imported to less than half as many theaters), they didn't come close to profitability. But Scott Pilgrim would have cult classic written all over it, if only it wasn't embraced almost universally right from the start.

Already, the movie has sold fairly well in its first two weeks on home video, where viewer opinion has greater effect. Scott Pilgrim is available in both a single-disc DVD and, this article's subject, a Level Up! Collector's Edition combo pack that bundles that DVD with a loaded Blu-ray and a code to download a digital copy.

Scott Pilgrim looks pretty great on DVD, the feast of its busy, varying, and imaginative visuals being uninhibited by any shortcomings more noticeable than rare grain. The Dolby 5.1 soundtrack is even better, providing a crisp, clear, and appropriately active and immersive experience throughout.

The Blu-ray transfer also meets expectations and excels. Outside of a handful of shots, the image is sharp and detailed. The color palette here is strikingly more diverse than in most live-action films, and all the neon hues appear to be replicated vividly and accurately. No detectable noise or other color-related issues crop up. Likewise, print and digital defects are both nowhere to be found in this exceptional presentation.

The DTS-HD 5.1 is even more impressive. The film is a living video game and as such, sound effects play a large role here. The most obvious showcase for these are the action sequences that play around with the surround sound field. Everything from weapons clashing to architecture collapsing is crisp and encompassing. Even the quieter scenes regularly expand with unconventional transitions and comic book bubbles. Music plays a large part as well, and feels very full and rich without drowning out the dialogue. This is easily a reference track.

BONUS FEATURES, MENUS and PACKAGING

Though many bonus features are kept exclusive to the Blu-ray disc, the DVD is still pretty loaded for a single disc, much like Edgar Wright's previous two films.

The extras begin with 21 deleted scenes (27:22), presented with explanatory optional audio commentary by Wright. The section is less substantial than the numbers suggest, because many of these are mild tweaks of used scenes. There is, however, a noteworthy alternate ending.

"Scott Pilgrim vs. the Bloopers" (9:39) is longer and more entertaining than most gag reels, amusing us with its candid unrated bloopers including Michael Cera's over thirty attempts to casually sink an Amazon.ca box in the garbage backwards.

An active trivia track identifies songs, sounds, filming locations, and homages among the wealth of easily-missed details it shares.

If you thought you were reaching the end of the disc, think again. The heading "Feature Commentaries" already tells you you're getting more than one audio commentary, but you may be surprised to find a whopping four tracks offered.

The first and most important gathers director/co-writer Edgar Wright, co-writer Michael Bacall, and author Bryan Lee O'Malley. O'Malley is established as the authority here as the group discusses what came from his books and from his life. Besides assuming an interviewer's air, Wright provides the filmmaker's point of view, touching upon revisions, technical decisions and significance of number sightings. All of them maintain their sense of humor while geeking out, making this an appealing, amusing and lively listen.

The second is a technical commentary by Edgar Wright and cinematographer Bill Pope. As he vows, Wright avoids the Arnold Schwarzenegger approach of narrative explanation, but he does repeat himself from the other track a little. Still, he and Pope create distance by focusing a bit more on visuals, methods, and smelly locations.

The talking continues with two cast commentaries. One assembles the film's more prominent cast members: Michael Cera, Jason Schwartzman, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Ellen Wong, and Brandon Routh. They joke around, share their experiences with stunts and practical effects, eat baklava, talk burger joints, and mention PG-13 ratings concessions while trying not to hum along to the featured music they like.

The fourth and final track brings in supporting players Anna Kendrick, Aubrey Plaza, Kieran Culkin, and Mark Webber. Having fewer stories to offer,

they take a more observational approach. Some funny moments are encountered, but the track is strictly for the supplemental completists.

One minor nuisance regarding the extras is that the hands-on Wright repeatedly references bonus features "on the DVD" that aren't really on the DVD.

The Blu-ray exclusive extras begin with "Making of Scott Pilgrim vs. the World" (49:32), the sole high-def bonus besides the deleted scenes. This documentary doesn't rely much on the typical talking head sound bites, instead presenting behind-the-scenes footage in a somewhat random way. Among the things we see are actors rehearsing for musical numbers and action sequences, some of the green screen work employed, and the filming of various sequences. Because it mainly covers the production aspect of filmmaking (pre-production and post-production are covered elsewhere), it's not as comprehensive as it could be, but it's still a strong look at the shoot.

"Music Featurette" (16:27) continues with the creative naming of supplements. Here, we are given a mix of sit-down interviews and behind-the-scenes footage, both focusing on the musical numbers. Several different bands who contributed to the film share their thoughts, and actors discuss the challenges that come with playing instruments. Teamed with rehearsal footage, these comments do a solid job covering the topic.

Half serious and half ironic, "You Too Can Be in Sex Bob-Omb" (2:42) is a sort of training session between Sloan member Chris Murphy and actor Mark Webber. Murphy shows Webber how to perform a riff from "Garbage Truck" with the help of visual aids. It's kind of cute, but nothing more than that.

Under Alternate Footage, we get two items. "Alternative Edits" (12:21) is a reel of scenes that look familiar but contain different improvised lines and responses than the film itself. "Bits and Pieces" (6:50) provides shots and lines that were fully deleted but too short to include among the other deleted scenes. Both clips are a treat and contain some genuinely funny moments that could've been left in.

Pre-Production contains six different sections. "Pre-Production Footage" (15:00) offers ten clips ranging from stuntmen mapping out fights to original storyboard reels. "Animatics" (36:15) presents all 17 of the film's action sequences in an animated storyboard format along with some work-in-progress footage of the Ninja Ninja Revolution game. Eight "Rehearsal Videos" (9:08) cover both action and musical sequences in their early phases, showing the actors practicing for both scenarios.

"Props, Rigs, and Sets Montage" (2:43) is a miscellaneous reel of crew members assembling and decorating the various sets found throughout the film. For some audition footage, we get "Casting Tapes" (13:34) from almost all of the main cast, revealing just how early they already had their characters down. "Hair and Make-Up Footage" (10:48) shows several actors, mostly Mary Elizabeth Winstead, posing for hair and make-up tests that are virtually identical to what's in the final film.

There are two groups of Music Promos. "Music Videos" (9:47) are merely all of the songs found in the film presented in isolation. No alternate edits or extensions are to be found here. "Osymyso Remixes" (9:27) are seven promos that take an approach made famous by YouTube by creating music videos mostly out of lines and sound effects found in the film.

Three clips cover Visual Effects. "VFX Before & After" (14:37) dissects effects-heavy scenes from different angles with narration by visual effects supervisor Frazer Churchill. "Roxy Fight: Ribbon Version" (1:11) presents the Roxy vs. Ramona fight exactly as it appears in the film save for one notable exception: we're shown the pink and green ribbons that CG weaponry replaces in the final cut. The oddly-titled "Phantom Montage: Hi Speed Footage" (3:47) is actually the opposite, showing blue screen stunt work from the cast in slow motion.

"Sound Works Collection: Sound for Film Profile" (5:43) is a piece hosted by supervising sound editor Julian Slater. He demonstrates how he uses sound to enhance scenes and smoothen transitions. It's not long enough to really get deep into the subject, but he tosses out some good information.

A generous collection of Trailers and TV Spots is included. "Trailers" (5:35) has the teaser trailer, main trailer, and international trailer; "TV Spots" (8:16) is made up of a whopping 18 ads; and "Video Game Trailers" (4:50) features four advertisements for the tie-in video game.

"Adult Swim: Scott Pilgrim vs. the Animation" (3:47) is a short clip that aired on the late night cable programming block. Animated in the same style as the original graphic novels and featuring Michael Cera's voice, the short acts as a prequel in which we see Scott forming his first band. The tone and humor from the film are intact, making it cute despite contradicting Scott's character arc in the film.

For a hilarious look at modern censorship, there's "Scott Pilgrim vs. the Censors!: TV Safe Version" (4:10). This presents a reel of lines that have had their swears replaced with terms like Oscar Grouch, pooch, owls, and Lod. While this is certainly tongue-in-cheek (some of the original swears replaced are uttered every night in primetime), one hopes the actual TV edit uses all of these.

Thirteen "Blogs" (45:46) that were put online before the film's release are all contained here. The main participant in these videos is director Edgar Wright, who discusses his plans for each work day and reflects on what's been done. Along the way, we see and hear from many cast and crew members in between takes. Very little footage actually overlaps with the main documentary, making these all the more valuable and fun.

Universal's "U-Control" offers the ability to watch the film in storyboard form via picture-in-picture.

The next few features are only accessible through BD-Live. First is Gorgeous Got a Gun's music video for "Violent Games" (3:51). Unlike the music videos found elsewhere on this set, this is a real one (albeit for a song not featured in the movie). The forgettable video for this forgettable tune mixes film clips with footage of the band performing.

"Toronto Loves Scott Pilgrim" (2:34) has the actors reflecting on the Toronto shoot. We hear about the different locations used and which actors were already familiar with them.

It's pretty superficial and feels like an advertisement for the Canadian city.

While not true supplements, the BD-Live technology wraps up with something mildly interesting. Instead of presenting trailers on the disc itself, Universal uses the user's Internet connection to pull up a periodically updated random assortment of trailers. The several times I popped the disc in, I got trailers for Get Him to the Greek, Pocket Blu, The American, Back to the Future 25th Anniversary Trilogy, Robin Hood, Psycho: 50th Anniversary Edition, Charlie St. Cloud, It's Kind of a Funny Story, and Somewhere. The upside to this is that you don't have to endure outdated trailers when popping the disc in down the line. The downside is that if one of those trailers is for a film you like that doesn't have that ad on its respective release, you won't get to access it for long.

The DVD opens with promos for Death Race 2: Unrated, Scott Pilgrim vs. the World: The Game, today's home video formats, Back to the Future: 25th Anniversary Trilogy Blu-ray, Focus Features, Despicable Me, and Charlie St. Cloud.

The DVD's main menu appropriately opens with an 8-bit video game-style introduction before settling on a barely animate rendering of the poster design. The other menus take a colorful graphic novel approach without animation. The Blu-ray's menu uses Universal's standard interface of curved selections on a montage of clips, with listings cascading like drawers left to right. Once again squeezing BD-Live for everything it's got, the menu contains a box on the upper right hand corner advertising recent and upcoming Blu-ray releases.

Inside the standard blue case are an insert for the Scott Pilgrim video game and original comic books, plus a second sheet supplying digital copy code and instructions plus the exciting news that your purchase includes an instant bonus movie stream of either Pitch Black or Tremors. Oh boy, now there is reason to go Blu! The case is topped with an embossed cardboard slipcover with apt pixelated holographic effects.

CLOSING THOUGHTS

To the narrow-minded and the old, Scott Pilgrim vs. the World could easily look like hyper, nonsensical noise, but it definitely is not. Clever and extremely entertaining, this feels like a younger, crazier version of Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind. Some will disparagingly label it "hipster", some will find the visual quirks and fight scenes not to their liking, and some just won't be able to warm to its stylings. But I think it's one of the year's best films so far and another strong addition to the résumés of writer/director Edgar Wright and his fine cast.

The DVD should have included a lot more of the Blu-ray's abundant bonus features, but it's a pretty solid disc nonetheless and as solid in the combo pack as on its own.